What's at Stake

What Donations Are Reported?

Activists pushing laws to force non-profit groups to report the names and addresses of their financial supporters to the government are trying to muddy the water. They want you to believe that money donated to political candidates is also not reported, but they are wrong. Here are the facts about what is already required to be reported and posted online.

Federal Campaign Finance Disclosure Laws:

Corporations and Super PACs may not contribute to the campaigns of federal candidates.

Federal candidates, political parties, political action committees (PACs), and Super PACs must disclose all of their spending and donors over $200 to the Federal Election Commission.

All spending on independent expenditures and electioneering communications targeting candidates must be disclosed to the Federal Election Commission.

Any organization that spends a majority of its time and funding advocating for or against federal candidates must report to the Federal Election Commission the name and address of anyone who gives the organization $200 or more.

All political ads in federal races must include disclaimer language that explains who paid for the ad.

Rules Covering Nonprofit Organizations and Elections:

501(c)(4)s organizations are non-profit issue advocacy groups. Donations to these groups are not tax-deductible. These groups may not spend more than half of their funding supporting or opposing candidates who agree or disagree with their issue positions.

501(c)(3) organizations are non-profit charitable organizations that advance causes. Donations to these groups are tax-deductible. These groups are prohibited by law from supporting or opposing candidates. Examples of 501(c)(3) groups are the American Red Cross, Sierra Club, and National Rifle Association.

Donors who earmark contributions over $200 to nonprofits for independent expenditures or electioneering communications are reported to the Federal Election Commission.

The truth is that almost all spending on elections is already reported to the government and put online for anyone to look up. But now activists want to target you for the causes you support—not just the political candidates.
Don’t let activists target people over the causes they support and their personal beliefs. Protect the privacy of charitable giving.